Nepenthe
by lucyemma
Summary: Nepenthe - A small drug that is fabled to have rendered persons insensible to, or made them forget, all their pains and grief.


Disclaimer: Don't own the characters, not making any profit, not worth suing me anyway (you can have the cats if you like).

Pairing: HC

Author notes: Well here we go, my first fanfic. I'd love reviews but be gentle it's taken me a while to gather the courage to post. I have another longer fic completed so if this isn't hated to much I'll post it,

**Nepenthe**

Nepenthe - A small drug that is fabled to have rendered persons insensible to, or made them forget, all their pains and grief.

"Hold on Horatio they're on the way, stay with me handsome. I love you to."

He came to, reluctantly, from a pleasant dream. A perfume with a hint of citrus lingered in the room. He opened his eyes slowly to enjoy the sight he knew he would see in front of him. She was fussing with a vase of flowers by the window, the early morning Miami sun making her blonde hair glow. It was loose, the way he liked it. He watched as it brushed against the black tank top she wore. He smiled and sighed, what a way to wake up.

At his sigh she turned and stepping closer to the bed, gave him a smile of her own.

"Awake already, Handsome?"

He glanced around the room. "just you?" he queried. She nodded yes, entirely missing the mischievous glint in his eyes. He snaked out his good arm and tipped her giggling into his lap. Righting herself she reached for him and mindful of his injury pulled him into a long and sweet good morning kiss. When she finally let him go he was breathing heavily. "Good morning to you to" he said finally regaining his composure. She grinned and snuggled under his arm, they lay quietly. Calleigh gently stroked the back of his hand where the IV had been. God it had been a close thing, if she hadn't decided to stay over that night after the boys had left… Sensing her thoughts he turned his hand and grasped hers, as if to say I'm here, I'm alive. They looked into each other eyes, silently enjoying the moment.

Horatio broke the mood by yawning. "Sorry" he said sheepishly.

"Still tired? She asked concerned.

"I think I will be for a while" the chagrin in his voice amused her. He was definitely on the mend. "Plus I've discovered I don't sleep to well on my own anymore."

"Me neither handsome, me neither" she sighed. "I'll tell you what, you go back to sleep and I'll stay for little while longer, I'm sure my boss won't mind if I'm a little late."

"I think he'll forgive you this time" Horatio grinned. Calleigh settled herself back next to him, reaching her hand up to stroke his hair. Horatio let out another contented sigh and closed his eyes, lulled by her gentle touch into a deep sleep.

She watched his face gentled by sleep and the even rise and fall of his chest. The last time she had held him was so different. She shuddered remembering his juddering laboured breaths and pained expression as they waited that long seven minutes for the ambulance. Yet still in that moment of horror she had found joy. He had whispered between breaths "I love you, always have, always will." Words she had clung to in past few days.

Horatio had invited them all over for pizza that evening. They had needed to wind down after a particularly tense case that day. Eric and Speed had left after couple hours, Calleigh had lingered, grateful for the boy's discretion. There had been a knock at the door. Thinking one of the boys had forgotten some thing Horatio had opened the door with out hesitation. The next thing she knew he was flying backwards to the crack of gun fire. The perp had stood over him raising the gun to finish the job. He hadn't counted on Calleigh still being there. Her shot didn't miss. She had dropped to her knees next to Horatio after phoning for assistance, begging him to stay with her.

Shaking her self out of that dark reverie she gently lifted his hand and slipped off the bed. She leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the forehead. He stirred but did not wake

Thank God Yelena had got to together with Rick. Horatio had told her over their first dinner that although, frankly he despised the guy, she at least seemed happy. He felt he had been relieved of his obligation to her. Looking at Calleigh shyly, he had hesitantly enquired if it wasn't too late to see if they could be more than friends.

"It would have never been to late for you handsome" she had stated emphatically. They had shared many things that night. Exchanging confidences and finding comfort so long sought, in each other's company. She smiled at the memory. She finally had some one talk to about her Father, although she suspected Horatio had known for some time. He had charmed her by trusting her with some secrets of his own. She knew then that she had his heart as surely as he had hers.

She laid her hand once more over his and whispered her goodbye and a promise to be back after work.

Another had contemplated the scene through the glass of the door. After a moments hesitation she turned and stalked down the corridor. She thrust the bunch of red roses she was carrying into the arms of a startled nurse. Breaking into a run she noticed the sign for the Ladies and rushed inside, slamming the cubicle door shut and kicking it for good measure.

God damn it! She had been so stupid. It had taken her two days to work up the courage just come here. Three to find the right words to forgive him, to get him back in her life. Only to see this! She should have known he wouldn't come crawling to ask for her forgiveness and while she'd been enjoying the moral high ground he'd moved on. How stupid was she? How long had it been going on?

She wondered if _she_ knew his sordid little secret. She choked back a sob as some one else entered the toilets. That some one was humming happily to herself. Calleigh stopped in front of the mirrors, she took a brush from her purse and began to brush her hair up into a bun. Yelena waited until she left then slid to the ground tears flowing freely.


End file.
